Railroad tie



S. BELANGER.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION EILED 1'ULY9, I921.

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Patented Apr. 111, 1922.

WITNESS:

, warren srrs errant nearest 7 SEVEREN BELANGER, OF PROVE-MONT, MICHIGAN.

RAILROAD TIE.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SnvnRnN BELANGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Provemont, in the county oii'Leelanau and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad ties, particularly to those of the metallic type, and has for its object the provision of a railroad tie which is formed entirely of metal and which is provided with clamping means whereby to secure the rails upon the tie.

An important and more specific object is the provision of a railroad tie having formed upon its top surface flange meml'iers adapted to engage over the inner edges of the base portions of rails and formed with longitudinally extending channels within which aremovable clamping devices for engaging the outer edges of therail bases, these clamping members having their inner ends engageable over an upstanding securing member carried by the tie whereby to hold the clamping members in lockedposition.

Another object is-the provision of a tie of this character and rail clamping means which may be readily disengaged whereby the rails may be removed in case of repairs or replacement, the invention further con-' templating the provision of a lever tool for moving the clamping members into operativerelation to the rails.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly eiiicient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art. I

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my tie showing it in use,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough, showing one of the clamping members engaged upon the central member and showing the use of the lever tool for clamping the other rail clamping member,

Figure 3 is a central cross sectional view,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the rail clamping members detached.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Apr. 111, 11922.

Application filed July 9, 1921. Serial No. 483,586.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lever tool.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my tie as comprising an elongated body 10 formed of metal and pros vided at the top of its center with a cutaway portion 11 into which leads a longitudinal channel 12 which extends entirely to the ends of the body. Adjacent its ends the top of the body is formed with an upstanding projection 13 and the upper wall of the body is formed with a slot 14 extending from each end to. the inner end of the projection 13, this slot 14 leading into the channel 12. Formed integrally upon the top of the body are flanges 15 which are undercut, as shown at 16, for the extension 01 the inner edges of the bases of the rails A. The rails are to be engaged upon the body by having their bases inserted beneath the flanges 15 andthen pressed downwardly so that the bases will lie between the undercut portions 16 of the flanges 15 and the inner edges of the projections 13. It should be stated that the cut-away portion 11 of the body is adaptedto be covered by a plate 17 which is detachably secured in position, as by means of bolts or the like.

The body 10 is formed with an upstanding projection 18 which is located centrally of its channel 12 and centrally oi the cutaway portion 11, as shown, and this projection is formed at its upper end with a round hole 19, and below'said hole is formed with a smaller round hole 20. The opposite edges of the projection are formed with ratchet like teeth 21 for a purpose to be described.

In order to secure the rails upon the tie I provide a pair of clamping members for each tie and these clamping members are each formed from a single length of rod of suitable gage. Each clamping member is formed at its outer end with an upwardly extending inclined portion 22 which is engageable over the outer edge of the base of vide an eye at at its extremity and also to provide an elongated loop 25 adjacent the eye 24. The loops 25 are designed to be en gaged upon the projection 18 so as to hold the clamping members firmedly in such a 5 way that the inclined ends 22 thereof will.

clampingly engage the outer edges of the rail bases for locking the rails firmly in position.

In the use of my tie it is preferable to em ploy a lever 26 which has a laterally bent end 27. This lever is inserted through the eye 24;

gaged from the projection. The plate '17 is then fastened in position.

' J 'From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and yet highly efficient railroad tie of the metallic type which will effectively operate 9 to clamp the rails, lever means being pro- I so.

vided for applying pressure to the-clamping means 5021s to seourethe rails most firmly.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or. the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v

1. A railroad tie comprising an elongated body providedat its center with a cut out portion leading to the top and normally covered by a plate, the body being furthermore formed with a longitudinally extending channel and provided with slots at its ends leading into said channel and leading to the top. of the body, flange members on the top --0f the body at'points spaced from the ends thereof and beneath which the innerjedges of the rail bases may be engaged, an upstanding member within said cut-out portionat the center of thechannel, and longitudinally movable clamping members disposed within said channel and formed at their outer ends with portions engageable over the outer edges of therail bases and provided at their inner ends with loops engageable over said projection. I I

2. A railroad tie comprising an elongated body provided at its center with a cut-out portion leading tothe top and normally covered by a plate the body being furthermore formed with a longitudinally extending channel and provided with slots at its ends leading into said channel and leading to the top of the body, flange members onthe top of the body at points spaced from the ends thereof and beneath which the inner edges of rail bases may be engaged, an upstanding member within said cut-out portion at the center of the channel, longitudinally movable clamping members disposed within'said channel and formed at their outer ends with portionsengageable over the outer edges of the rail bases and provided at their Inner ends with loops engageable over said'projection, the innermost ends of said clamping members being formed witheyes, the projection being formed with holes, and a lever I having an angular end insertable through an eye and within one of said holes whereby the clamping member may be pulled longitudi nally to engage the loop thereof upon the projection; r 3. A railroad tie comprising an elongated body provided at its center with a cut-out portiOn leading to the top and normally cov ered by a plate, the body being furthermore formed with a longitudinally extending channel and provided with slots atits ends leading into said channel and leading to the top of the body, flange members on the top of the body at points spaced from the-sends thereof and beneath which the inner edges 1 of rail bases may be engaged,aniupstanding member within said cut-out portion at the center of the channel, and longitudina-lly movable clamping members disposed within said channel and formed at their outer ends with portions engageable over the outer edges of the rail bases and provided at their inner ends with loops engageable over said projection, the innermost'ends of said clamping members being formed with eyes, and alever having an angular end insertabl'e through an eye and'within oneof Said holes whereby the clamping members may be pulled longitudinally to engage the loop thereof upon the projection, the edges'of the projection being inclined and being formed with ratchet teeth.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

SEVEREN BELANGrER. 

